I really think Neil Shusterman might be a middle school kid. He just gets them so well, and his characters are so believable...even the ones who have supernatural powers and the ones who live in worlds so different from ours.
Recently, I read two book by him. The first one is called Unwind. Anyone who liked Hunger Games, The Giver, or Matched will like this book. Here's what the author's website says about it:
In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.
Then, there's the book Bruiser. A book about a couple of kids who learn that sometimes love can hurt, but only in ways that remind us how lucky we are to have it. I thought the suspense in this book was going to make me burst. I really enjoyed it. This is from Neil Shusterman's website, too:
TENNYSON: Don’t get me started on The Bruiser. He was voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by the entire school. He’s the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about. So why is my sister, Brontë dating him? One of these days she’s going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it’s not going to end well.
BRONTË:
My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way – no right to threaten him. There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they’re happening to me.
BREWSTER:
Stealer of screams and thief of anguish, I am a criminal, but you can’t see it, blinded by your own relief as my body becomes a battlefield in a war that can’t be won. Will I be the bullet that ends your pain, or will you end mine?
Award-winning author Neal Shusterman has crafted a chilling and unforgettable novel about the power of unconditional friendship, the complex gear work of a family, and the sacrifices we endure for the people we love.
Trust me, Neil Shusterman, is a heckuva an author. I really think his books are for everyone. Boys, girls, 6th graders, 8th graders, sci-fi and fantasy fans (try them both), Hunger Games fans (try Unwind), and realistic fiction fans (try Bruiser).
Enjoy, everyone. And keep reading!
-absk
